Border forces seize 311,000 pills in balloon smuggling attempts in Anbar

ANBAR — Iraqi border forces thwarted two attempts to smuggle narcotics using balloons along the international border west of Anbar, seizing more than 311,000 pills, authorities said Monday.

The Border Forces Command said units detected two balloons in separate operations using thermal cameras. Forces engaged and brought down the balloons, which were carrying 32 kilograms and 25 kilograms of narcotics.

The command said forces would “continue efforts to prevent smuggling attempts” targeting Iraqi society with drugs.

Border forces have foiled multiple balloon-borne smuggling attempts in Anbar and other governorates, as traffickers increasingly turn to low-cost aerial methods to bypass ground patrols. Earlier this year, forces intercepted two similar attempts in Anbar, seizing about 262,000 pills.

Iraq has faced growing challenges from narcotics trafficking, evolving from a transit corridor into both a consumer market and a redistribution hub.

Courts have handed down some of the country’s toughest penalties in trafficking cases. Between January and August 2024, judges issued 140 death sentences and 500 life sentences in narcotics cases. In the first quarter of 2025, authorities reported 3,006 arrests related to drug offenses.